Document Type

Article

Peer Reviewed

1

Publication Date

9-1-2002

Volume

17

Journal, Book or Conference Title

Applied occupational and environmental hygiene

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of questionnaire items related to musculoskeletal symptoms and the reliability of specific job factors. The type of questionnaire items described in the present study have been used by several investigators to assess symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders and problematic job factors among workers from a variety of occupations. Employees at a plastics molding facility were asked to complete an initial symptom and jobs factors questionnaire and then complete an identical questionnaire either two or four weeks later. Of the 216 employees participating in the initial round, 99 (45.8%) agreed to participate in the retest portion of the study. The kappa coefficient was used to determine repeatability for categorical outcomes. The majority of the kappa coefficients for the 58 questionnaire items were above 0.50 but ranged between 0.13 and 1.00. The section of the questionnaire having the highest kappa coefficients was the section related to hand symptoms. Interval lengths of two and four weeks between the initial test and retest were found to be equally sufficient in terms of reliability. The results indicated that the symptom and job factors questionnaire is reliable for use in epidemiologic studies. Like all measurement instruments, the reliability of musculoskeletal questionnaires must be established before drawing conclusions from studies that employ the instrument.

Keywords

Adult, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Female, Human Engineering, Humans, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Occupational Diseases, Occupational Health, Patient Participation, Questionnaires, Reproducibility of Results, Research, Risk Factors, Sensitivity and Specificity, Sex Distribution, Sustainability

Published Article/Book Citation

Rosecrance JC, Ketchen KJ, Merlino LA, Anton DC, Cook TM. Test-retest reliability of a self administered musculoskeletal symptoms and job factors questionnaire used in ergonomics research. Appl Occup Environ Hyg 17(9):613-621, 2002. DOI: 10.1080/10473220290095934 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10473220290095934

Rights

“From Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Test-Retest Reliability of a Self-Administered Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Job Factors Questionnaire Used in Ergonomics Research, 17(9): pages 613–621. Copyright 2002. ACGIH®, Cincinnati, OH. Reprinted with permission.”

 

URL

http://ir.uiowa.edu/oeh_pubs/7